Ticket printing and issuing



Jan. 7, 1936. c. F. WEBB TICKET PRINTING AND ISSUING MACHINE Filed Sept. l0, 193

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 N SQ @y f Z415* i rmefys.

Jan. 7, 1936. c. F. WEBB TICKET PRINTING AND ISSUING MACHINE Filed Sept. l0, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 7, 1936. c. F. WEBB TICKET PRINTING AND ISSUING MACHINE Filed Sept. 10, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE' christopher Frederick webb, Kenton, Emma,

assigner to Bell Punch Company, Limited, London, England Application September 10, 1930, Serial No. 480,990 In Great Britain April 12, 1927 24 Claims.

This invention relates to a motor driven printing machine of the type in which portions of a strip or web are printed to form tickets, the printing being effected by means of a single rotary type cylinder cooperating with means whereby the form to be printed may be selected at the will of the operator. The improvements forming the subject matter of this application are particularly adapted to the type of machine described in my prior applications Serial Numbers 260,268 and 301,843, tiled, respectively, March 9, 1928 and August 24, 1928. It will be noted from the following description that the general operation is quite similar to the operations of the machines of these applications, and in fact, the present machine embodies in identical form many of the features of these machines.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a machine of this general character with means whereby but one ticket is issued upon a single depression of a key even though the key be maintained depressed following the completion of a ticket issuing cycle.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved feeding means for the supply strip.

Another object of the invention relates to the provision of means for locking the machine against operation in the cases either of exhaustion of the supply of strip material or the jamming of the machine due to a defective supply.

A further object is the provision of a shock absorbing device for the printing drum as it is brought to rest.

Still another object relates to the provision of a switch for testing the operation of the motor or for ejecting a ticket in case of failure of ejection in the normal operation.

Further objects of the invention relating particularly to improved details of construction will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a iront elevation of the improved ma= chine showing the form of the cabinet housing the operating mechanism, driving motor and strip Supply;

Fig. 2 is a section on the plane indicated by line 2-2 in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on a plane approximately indicated by line 3 3 in Fig. 4, certain parts being omitted or broken away for clearness;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the mechanism below the top cover plate, certain parts being omitted for clearness;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the controlling switch arrangement;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation, partly in section, looking at the right hand side of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing the rela- 5 tionships of certain of the parts; and

Fig. 8 is a view of a portion of the blank strip operated on by the machine.

'I'he cabinet is in the form of an upright rectangular casing provided with a front door li, 10 affording access to the interior for replacement and adjustment or" the blank strip which is to be printed, and with a removable top plate 6, preferably arranged to be locked to prevent unauthorized access to the recording mechanism therei5 below.

The supply of strip material S may be in the form of a roll -but is preferably in the form of a stack made by folding a continuous strip back and forth, the stack being held in a removable container t from which one end of the strip passes to the printing mechanism. The blank strip, shown in Fig. 8, is perforated for engagement by a pin wheel feed later described. Generally one side would be entirely blank, the other side being blank or having suitable matters, such as restrictions, conditions of issue, or the like preprinted thereon. It `will be obvious that the side which is to be later printed may also have preprinted thereon certain matters of general applicability, the mechanism in such case merely adding distinguishing matters thereto.

A motor i@ furnishes the power for the mechanisrn, this motor driving through suitable reduction gearing i2 a chain it trained about a sprocket wheel it sleeved on the main shaft il journalled in antiriction bearings carried by the side plates o the printing unit, the mechanism oi which is preferably mounted in a separate frame so that it is removable as a unit from the cabinet.

Carried by the sprocket wheel it is a ratchet wheel i@ provided with teeth between which may engage the nose 2@ of a pawl 22 pivoted to an arm 2t secured to the shaft ii, the pawl 22 being F urged by a spring 26 in a direction to engage its nose between the teeth.

An arm 23, also secured to shaft ii, extends between two shock absorbing rubber pads 36 secured to the printing drum 32 on the periphery of 50 which are clamped the type plates 34 arranged in a series extending, in the present instance, somewhat more than half way around the drum. In advance of the rst of the type plates is a numbering head 38 the operating lever of which is piv 55 Cil oted to the strap 39 surrounding an eccentric journalled on shaft I1 and suitably held against rotation, for example, by connection to a fixed part of the machine. A dating head 36 is carried by the drum to the rear of the last type plate, this head being adapted to be periodically adjusted manually.

The free end of the arm 24 is provided with an extension 40 (see Fig. 4) arranged, when the machine is in its position of rest, to engage the nose 42 of anarm 46 of a bellcrank, the other arm 48 of which, has pivoted thereto a link 50, a shoulder 52 on which is held by a spring 56 in engagement with a stop 54 fixed to the frame. The end of link 50 extends beyond the stop 54 so as to be engageable by the end of an arm 58 secured to a stirrup 60 pivoted on a rod 64 xed in the frame and consisting of a cross bar extending beneath a series of keys 62 also pivoted on the rod 64 and arranged to engage the bar. Pivoted on a second rod ixed in the frame beneath the keys is a stirrup 66 connected by a link 68 to the arm 46. The stirrup 60 is held in raised position against the keys by a spring 6| and each of the keys is held upwardly against a padded stop bar 65 by a spring 61. Each of the keys 62 carries a latch plate 10 provided with two steps 12 and 14 joined by a sloping cam surface. The purpose of these will be described hereafter in connection with the operation of the machine.

A projection 16 xed to the shaft I1 is arranged to engage the end of arm 48 to rock the bellcrank in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2.

A sprocket wheel 18 ilxed to shaft I1, drives a chain which in turn drives the sprocket wheel 82 carrying the driving member of a Geneva mechanism, the driven member 84 of which is connected to a pin wheel 86 adapted to feed the strip, the wheel being provided with four pins corresponding in number to the slots in the driven Geneva member. Idlers serve to properly direct the chain 80, one of the idlers serving the purpose of driving the inking device hereafter described.

A sprocket wheel 92 engages the chain I4 and carries a pulley about which is trained the elastic band 94 (a spiral spring having its ends secured together) which drives a discharge roller 96 faced with friction material. f

Pivoted on rod 64 and extending transversely below the keys 62 is another stirrup having a sloping upper edge 98 (see Figs. 3, 4 and 6) arranged to be engaged by the keys. This stirrup carries an arm |00 bearing against a lever |02 held in contact therewith by a spring |04. The lever |02 has an arm |06 having a pin and slot connection with a block |08 mounted to slide on a transversed rod ||0 and carrying a spring ||2 having journalled at its ends rollers ||4 and I6. Distributed about the periphery of a carrier drum angularly adjustably secured to cylinder 32 are cams |22 stepped axially so as to be located in diierent peripheral paths, the cams bearing the same angular relationships as the type plates 34 so that there is one cam corresponding to each plate. Each of the rollers ||4 and ||6 is approximately as wide as a cam |22 and both are adapted to be selectively carried by movement of slide |08 into the path of one of the cams at each operation of the machine. A cam ||8 extending across the paths of all the cams |22 corresponds to the numbering head 38, while a similar cam |20 having an extension |2| corresponds to the dating head 36.

Extending transversely below the end of spring ||2 carrying roller |I4 to be engaged thereby in all positions of adjustment, is a pin |24 carried by an arm |26 carried by a shaft to which are secured arms provided with slots |28 arranged to 5 engage the trunnions of an inking roller |30 to which ink is applied from a pan |34 in a housing |36 through a transfer roller |32. The' housing is carried by and releasably latched on tracks |38 so that it may be readily withdrawn for replenishl0 ment of its ink supply. This inking device is described and claimed in the application of Horace D. Black, Serial Number 359,889, flled May 2, 1929, wherein are illustrated its constructional details. Rotary movement is imparted to the transl5 fer roller by the right hand idler 90 shown in Fig.

2 through connections illustrated in the Black application.

Extending beneath the spring ||2 at its other end similarly to pin |24 `is a pin |40 carried by 20 the lower end of an arm |42 secured to a member |61 pivoted on a transverse rod |69 xed in the frame. Pivoted on another rod |46 adjacent rod |69 (Fig. 3) i-s a member |44 carrying a grooved guide |48 above which and spaced there- 25 from are elements |50 forming a channel through which the strip to be printed is guided to the pin wheel 86, the pins engaging within the holes in the strip by extending between elements I 50.

Located in the front of the machine is a rol- 30 ler |52, grooved as at |54, over which the strip passes from the supply to the guide |48. A finger |56 capable of` entering the groove |54 is carried by a shaft journalled in the frame and carrying an arm |58, the upper end of which moves 35 into the path of stirrup 60 when the finger rests in the groove but clears the stirrup when the iinger is held out of the groove by the passage of the strip over roller |52. As will be later brought out downward movement of stirrup 60 is neces- 40 sary to eiect actuation of the machine. Accordingly prevention of operation occurs when there is no supply of the strip over roller |52, thus warning an operator that the supply must be replenished.

'I'he member |61 carries a ledger blade |60 and a movable blade |62 spring held to cooperate with the ledger blade and operated through a lever |64 pivoted to an eccentric strap |66 surrounding an eccentric |68 xed to shaft |1. 'I'he member 50 |61 also carries side walls |1| between which is located a guide plate |10 terminating in an arcuate extension |18 and provided with an opening through which a ticket maybe exposed to the type on drum 32 for printing. An inturned spring 55 finger |13 is adapted to press the ticket against the roller |14 pivoted between the plates |1| and normally resting against a stop |16 under the action of a spring |15. A spring |12 serves to guide a ticket properly to the roller. 60

'I'he curved extension |18 engages the printed ticket with the roller 96 which discharges it through an opening in the top plate of the machine. Fingers |80 carried by the dating head 36 engage the trailing end of a ticket and shove 65 it upwardly insuring its discharge. 'Ihis ticket guiding and issuing means is described and claimed in my application Serial Number 301,843.

A link |82 connects guide |50 with a lever |84 journalled on the shaft which carries arm |58. 70 A spring |86 connected between the link |82 and a fixed element normally urges the guide |50 towards the pin wheel 86 and also holds lever |84 out of the path of stirrup 60. By reason of this arrangement, it is possible to thread the strip into 75 guide which may be pressed downwardly so that the strip clears pins 00. When-the strip is properly positioned the guide is released so that a pin enters a hole. The spring |86 is light so that the proper position is readily found by feeling since the pin enters a hole when the proper position is attained. The construction also forms a safety arrangement since, if for any reason' the stock becomes jammed above the pin wheel, because, for example, of defects therein, the wheel will feed more stock upon continued operation and the guide will be moved away from the wheel by the extra thickness therebetween. This moves the end of lever |04 into the path of stirrup 60 and prevents operation befpre the trouble becomes serious.

A rod |88 secured rigidly to eccentric strap |06 is pivoted to a member |90 pivoted to the frame. A link |92 connects the member |90 with the operating arm |94 of the counter |96 for indicating the total number of tickets issued. Levers |98 are pivoted on a rod carried by member |90, each being connected at one endto a key lever 62 through a link 200 and at its other end with an arm 202 of a counter 204 through a pin and slot connection. There is a counter 204 corresponding with each key, operation of the machine by depression of a key serving to operate its own counter 204 and simultaneously the common counter |96.

In order to prevent the simultaneous depression of two keys, there are provided means similar to those disclosed in my prior application Serial Number 260,268, taking the form of a plurality of swinging members 208 vthe total clearance of which in the space in which they are conned is less than the thickness of two keys which pass outwardly through slots 206 in the front plate of the mechanism.

To control the operation or the motor it, there is provided a pivoted switch blade 2 i@ adapted to close the circuit by engagement with the contacts 2i2. The blade 2l@ is normally urged towards circuit closing position by spring 2id, being held against the action of the spring by the lug 2id carried by stirrup liti. A manually operable blade 2te is also adapted to bridge the contacts 2F12 whereby the free operation of the motor may be tested or the discharge roller @(5 may be actuated to discharge a ticket which was not discharged in the normal cycle of operation.

When the machine is at rest, all oi the parts will be in the positions illustrated in the drawings with the exception that arm i will be raised and lever l5@ will be out oil the path of the stirrup t@ if the machine is threaded with a ticket strip. The ticket strip will be so positioned that a ticket length thereof will project upwardly beyond the path of the knife M52, its uppermost edge being in iront of the impression roller iid. Ihis position of the strip is accurately insured by the engagement of a hole therein by one or the pins 38, the strip being located by the operator by feeling as described above.

The depression ci the key effects the operations of various parts in rapid succession but properly timed to assure certainty of operation. The first slight depression of a key causes movement of stirrup dll, swinging the end of arm 5t upwardly to disengage shoulder 52 of link 5@ from stop tid. The action of spring 5@ immediately moves link 5t forwardly thereby swinging the bell crank consisting of arms 3G and it and moving nose 42 from beneath extension 40 and the outer end of clutch lever 22. The printing drum 32 is made somewhat unbalanced so that as soon as nose 42 is released the drum, shaft I1 and all the parts carried thereby will commence to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3. Since the toothed wheel I8 is now stationary, the nose 20 of lever 22 will move into an opening between its teeth under the action of spring 26. The advantage gained by permitting this initial movement of the drum will be later pointed out.

So far the key lever has been depressed only a short distance suicient to bring its ledge 14 below the path of the stirrup 66 which swings simultaneously with arm 46, owing to link 68, into position-above ledge 14. Release of the partially depressed key would not. accordingly, effect its restoration to its initial position. Furthermore, it will have already entered between its flanking members 208 so as to prevent the depression of any other key. Accordingly, to obtain any operation of the machine it is necessary to fully depress the partially depressed key to secure operation in accordance with the selection determined thereby.

Further depression of the key will bring it into engagement with the sloping upper edge of stirrup 98 whereupon its continued depression moves slide |08, and spring ||2 and the rollers ||4 and IIB carried thereby, towards the side of the machine. The extent of this movement is determined by the movement of the key lever after rst engagement with stirrup 98 until the end of its stroke which is iixed by its engagement with the bottom of the slot in the iront plate through which it pames. The extent of this determining movement of the key lever is, of course, dependent on its first engagement with the edge of the stirrup 93 the slope of which insures the positioning of rollers iid and MG in the path of that cam i222 corresponding to the type plate determined by the key.

During the above continued downward movement or the key, the stirrup @t will ride on the edge of member iii above the ledge ld until, when the limit of the stroke is reached, the stirrup to will snap over ledge E12 thereby locking the key in fully depressed position. As this movement of the stirrup occurs, the lug 20d moves therewith, permitting the switch 2i@ to close the motor circuit under the action or spring The advantage ci the initial movement of the drum due to its unbalanced condition will now be clear. Ordinarily the key is depressed very quick- 1y to its lowermost position. Accordingly the motor which is started at the end of the depression will ordinarily pick up the drum while it is moving so that no shock is imparted to the motor and the issuance of the ticket is much accelerated. in any case, however, even if the drum is at rest when the motor starts, the unbalanced weight will aid the motor.

As has been stated, the ticket strip at this time extends a ticket length beyond the path of knie H52. The rst operation upon movement of the shaft i'l consists ci severance of a ticket from the strip by actuation of the knife through the eccentric itt.

Just subsequent to the severance or the ticket the numbering head arrives opposite the impression roller llfi which is moved forwardly by the action of cam lid on roller il@ whereby the corresponding end ci spring i i2 is flexed moving the arm M2 through pin Mii. The impression roller thus presses the ticket tightly against the type on the numbering head whereby a number is imprinted on the ticket which is moved upwardly a short distance by the feeding action resulting from its tight frictional engagement between the roller and drum. After this action the cam IIB passes the roller II6 and the impression roller moves against stop |16 under the action of spring |15. Since-the guide |10 moves with the roller and the arrangement is such as to frictionally hold the ticket, the ticket remains in proper position to receive the next impression. It may be remarked that the guide engages the ticket only at its edges so that the wet ink on the ticket is not smudged.

As the cams |22 pass the roller II4, that one with which the roller is aligned will engage it flexing spring I2 against the pin |24 and thereby raising the inking roller |30 against the corresponding plate 34. When the plate so inked `approaches the impression roller, the same cam |22 engages roller II 6 again moving the impression roller forwardly and so effecting printing and feed of the ticket by the selected plate.

Upon further rotation, the dating head 36, previously inked by engagement of roller I I4 by cam |20, will reach the impression roller which is again moved forwardly by action of cam |20 on roller |I6 -to effect dating and further feed. The extension |2| of cam |20 prolongs the forward position of roller |18 so that ngers |88 will engage the lower end of the ticket moving it free of roller |18 and into engagement with roller 96.

Just prior to this time or simultaneously therewith, the nose 16 will strike the end of arm 48. Assuming the key to have been released, theV link 50 will be moved rearwardly bringing its shoulder 52 behind stop 58 so that as soon as the nose 16 passes the arm d8 it will engage the stop and hold the parts associated therewith in initial position.

At the same time nose 82 is moved rearwardly into the path of latch 5d which yields inwardly permitting lever 22 and extension 50 of arm 28 to engage the nose thus disengaging the clutch and arresting the drum 32 in its initial position. The latch 48 will have snapped under the nose i2 preventing rebound of the suddenly arrested drum. The shock absorbers 30 operate at this time to minimize the jar to the mechanism.

Also at the time the above occurs, the stirrup 66 swings releasing the depressed key and opening the switch 2|0.

During the operation of the machine the roller 96 will have been rotating. However, it does not stop with the drum 32 since it is driven through the chain I8 from the motor. It accordingly continues to rotate during the overrun of the motor, after the disengagement of the clutch, to insure a discharge of the printed ticket.

During the last part of the rotation of the shaft I1, the driven member of the Geneva mechanism will be rotated through a quarter turn thus correspondingly moving the pin wheel 86 to ad- Vance the strip the length of one ticket.

It will be noted that the numbering head will be inked just prior to the stopping of the drum 32 by engagement of roller I I4 by cam |I8 and that its position of rest is beyond the inker. This arrangement is found desirable although, obviously, the numbering head might well have a normal position of rest in front of the inker as shown in my prior application. By the present arrangement it is inked duringvone cycle for printing during the next cycle. Prior to its inking and subsequently to its printing operation it is advanced one unit by radial movement of the eccentric strap 89.

Depression of any key will move the pin carried by its corresponding lever |98 into the upper end of the slot in the operating arm 202 of 5 the corresponding counter 204. Rotation of the shaft I1 will, through the eccentric |68 and link |86, impart a reciprocating movement to all the levers |98 and to link |92. .The counter |96 and also the counter 204 corresponding'to the de- 10 pressed key will be operated. The counters 204 corresponding to the other keys will, however,

, not be operated sincellevers |98 corresponding thereto, though having the same range of movement as the operating lever |98, will not produce l5 suilicient angular movements of their arms 202 to operate the counters. There is thus kept -agrecord of both the total number of tickets (on counter |96) and also the number of tickets of each type. 20 One of the important features of the present invention is the provision of means whereby a single depression of a key effects the issuance of but a single ticket. In the operation as described above it was assumed that the finger of -the op- 25 erator was removed from the key as soon as it was fully depressed so that the key could rise as soon as it was freed by stirrup 66. Referring tovFig. 2, let it be assumed that the key was held depressed. In such case lever 58 would be 30 located above the level of stop 54 at such time as nose 16 released lever 48 after moving link 50 rearwardly to such an extent that its end would drop upon stop 58 behind the lever 58. After the release just mentioned, the link 50 would move 3'5 forward until its forward end engaged the end of arm 58 at which time the shoulder 52 would be spaced rearwardly of stop 58. Itlwould accordingly be. impossible t again set the machine into operation unless the depressed key was re- 40 leased to permit the lever 58 to drop below the end of link 50 in a position to again lift it. As soon as the lever 58 drops below the link 50,

it is snapped forwardly until its shoulder 52 engages stop 58, in which position it overhangs the lever 58.

'I'his feature of operation is of importance in that it prevents the accidental delivery of more than one ticket if a key is depressed for a too long period. The means for accomplishing this result is simple and positive in action and does not in any way aect the proper operation of the remaining parts of the device.

The design of the machine with the numbering head past the inker when the machine is at rest 55 permits the distribution of the printing surface over a larger section of the periphery of drum 32. Since the numbering head is inked at each operation of the machine this arrangement is quite satisfactory, the head retaining` sumcient ink between successive operations to function properly.

It will be obvious that numerous changes in details may be made without departing from the invention as defined by the following claims. For example the arrangement of the printing surfaces may be changed; thus: the numbering and dating heads may be eliminated or replaced by other printing devices. Specifically, the dating head may in certain cases be replaced by a second numbering head, actuating connections being provided therefor. This arrangement is particularly desirable when tickets having two separable portions are printed. Also, various elements of the mechanism may be omitted, with, of course, loss of their functions.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series of successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed, driving means for the type member, a plurality of keys, and mechanism controlled by actuation of a key to eiect rotation oi the type member by the driving means and printing of the ticket by a selected printing element, said mechanism including devices limiting the type member to a single rotation upon each actuation of a key.

2. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series of successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed, driving means for the type member, a latch normally holding the type member in fixed position, a plurality of keys and mechanism controlled by actuation of a key to trip the latch and eiiect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing of the ticket by a selected printing element, said latch stopping the type member after a single rotation irrespective of the position o the keys.

3. In a ticket printing and issui` g machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series oi.' successively arrangedprinting elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed, driving means for the type member, a latch normally holding the type member in liked position, a plurality of keys, and mechanism controlled by actuation of a key to trip the latch and eiect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing of the ticket by a selected printing element, said latch stopping the type member after a single rotation irrespective of the position of the keys, and being again tripped only upon release oi the actuated key followed by further actuation of the same or another key.

il. in a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series ci successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed, driving means for the type member, a plurality oi keys, mechanism controlled by the actuation of a key to eect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing of ticket by a selected printing element, said mechanism including devices limiting the type member to a single rotation upon each actuation ci a key, and interlocking means preventing the simultaneous actuation of any two keys.

5. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series oi successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed including a guide for a strip, a pin wheel for intermittently feeding the strip along the guide, and a knife for severing a ticket from the strip, driving means for the type member, a plurality of keys, and mechanism controlled by actuation oi a key to effect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing of a severed ticket by a selected printing element, and connections whereby the knife is operated to sever a ticket at the beginning of a rotation of the type member.

6. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series of successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed including a guide for a. strip, means for intermittently feeding the strip along the guide,

and a knife for severing a ticket from the strip,

driving means for the type member, a plurality of keys, and mechanism controlled by actuation of a key to eect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing of a severed ticket by a selected printing element, and connections whereby the knife is operated to sever a ticket at the beginning of a rotation of the type member.

'7. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series of successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed including a guide for a strip, a pin Wheel for intermittently feeding the strip along the guide, and a knife for severing a ticket from the strip, driving means for the type member, a plurality of keys, and mechanism controlled by actuation of a key to effect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing of a severed ticket by a selected printing element, and connections whereby the knife is operated to sever a ticket at the beginning of a rotation of the type member and the pin wheel is rotated at the end of a rotation to feed the strip a ticket length.

8. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series of successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed including a guide for a strip, a pin wheel for intermittently feeding the strip along the guide, and a knife for severing a ticket from the strip, driving means for the type member, a plurality of keys, and mechanism controlled by actuation or a key to edect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing of a severed ticket by a selected printing element, and connections whereby the knife is operated to sever a ticket at the beginning oi a rotation or" the type member and the pin wheel is rotated at the end of a rotation to iced the strip a ticket length, the pin wheel and guide move relatively apart to mechanism.

9. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series ci successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed including a guide for a strip, a pin wheel for intermittently feeding the strip along the guide, and a knife for severing a ticket from the strip, driving means for the type member, a plurality oi keys, and mechanism controlled by actuation oi a key to effect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing of a severed ticket by a selected printing element, tbe guide and pin wheel being yieldingly held in relative cooperating positions and being movable apart under the action or abnormal thickness or" material in the guide, and means actuated when the pin wheel and guide move relatively apart to prevent the depression or a key.

i0. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series of successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed including a guide for a strip, a pin Wheel for intermittently feeding the strip along the guide, and a knife for severing a ticket from the strip, driving means for the type member, a plurality of keys, and mechanism controlled by actuation of a key to effect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing of a severed ticket by a selected printing element, the guide and pin wheel being yieldingly held in relative cooperating positions and being movable apart under the action of abnormal thickness of material in theguide, and means actuated when the pin wheel and guide move relatively apart to prevent the operation of the mechanism.

11. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series of successively arranged printing elements. means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed including a guide for a strip, means for intermittently feeding the strip along the guide, and a knife for severing a ticket from the strip, driving means for the type member, a plurality of keys, mechanism controlled by actuation of a key to effect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing of a severed ticket by a selected printing element, and means operating upon failure of supply of strip material to the machine to prevent operation of the mechanism.

12. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series of successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed including a guide' for a strip, means for intermittently feeding the strip along the guide,

' and a knife for severing a ticket from the strip,

driving means for the type member, a plurality of keys, mechanism controlled by actuation of a key to effect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printingV of a severed ticket by a selected printing. element, and means operating upon failure of supply of strip material to the machine to prevent the depression of a key.

13. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series of successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed including a guide for a strip, means for intermittently feeding the strip along the guide, and a knife for severing a ticket from the strip, driving means for the type member, a plurality of keys, mechanism controlled by actuation of a key. to eiect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing of a severed ticket by a selected printing element, and means operating upon failure of supply of strip material to the machine to prevent operation of the mechanism, the last named means including a feeler maintained in one position by contact with a strip and moving to another position in its absence.

14. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series of successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed, a motor for driving the type member, a plurality of keys, mechanism controlled by the actuation of a key to connect the type member to the driving motor and close the motor circuit and subsequently open the circuit and disconnect the type member from the driving motor, whereby printing of a ticket by a selected printing element is effected, means operated by overrun of the motor after disconnection to effect issuance of a printed ticket, and an auxiliary switch for closing the motor circuit without connecting the motor and type member.

15. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series of vsuccessively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed, a motor for driving the type member, a

plurality of keys, mechanism controlled by the actuation of a keyto connect the type member to the driving motor and close the motor 'circuit and subsequently open the circuit and disconnect the type member from the driving motor, whereby printing of a ticket by a selected printing element is eiected, and an auxiliary switch for closing the motor circuit without connecting the motor and type member.

16. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable'type member provided with a series of l successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed, a motor for driving the type member, a

`plurality of keys, a latch` holding the type member in a stationary position, and mechanism controlled by actuation of a key to trip the latch, connect the type member to the driving motor, and close the motor circuit, the type member being unbalanced whereby it aids the driving mo- 20 tor at the beginning of an operation.

17. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series of successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed, driving means for the type member, a plurality of keys, an impression roller, an inking device, a plurality of cams rotating with the rotatable type member, a leaf spring carrying at its'ends a plurality of rollers arranged to be en- 30 gaged by the cams to flex the ends of the spring, means operated by exure of one end of the spring to effect movement of the impression roller.

to press a ticket against a printing element, means operated by exure of the other end of the spring to eiect inking of a printing element by the inking device, and mechanism controlled by actuation of a key to move thespring to bring the rollers into the path of a selected cam and eect rotation of the type member by the driving means 40 and printing of a ticket.

18. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series of successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed, driving means for the type member, a plurality of keys, an impression roller, a plurality of cams rotating with the rotatable type member,

a leaf spring carrying at one end a rollerarranged to be engaged by the cams to flex the end of the spring= means operated by flexure of the end of the spring to effect movement of the impression roller to press a ticket against a printingr element, and mechanism controlled by actuation of a key to move the spring to bring the roller into the path of a selected cam and effect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing of aV ticket.

19. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member provided with a series of successively arranged printing elements, means for presenting to the type member a ticket to be printed, driving means for the type member, a plurality of keys, an inking device, a plurality of cams rotating with the rotatable type member, a leaf spring carrying at one end a roller arranged to be engaged by the cams to ex the end of the spring, means operated by iiexure of the end of the spring to effect inking of a printing element by the inking device, and mechanism controlled by actuation of a key to move the spring to bring the roller into the path of a selected cam and effect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing of a ticket.

20. Ina ticket printing and issuing machine,

a rotatable type member, means for guiding to the type member tickets to be printed, driving means for lthe type member, a key and mechanism controlled by actuation of the key to eiect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing thereby, said mechanism including devices limiting the type member to a single rotation upon each actuation of said key, said devices including a latch restraining a spring biased member, a key operated element for moving and thereby tripping the latch, and means disturbing engagement between said element and latch during the operation.

21. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotable type member, means for guiding to the type member tickets to be printed, driving means for the type member, a latch normally tending to hold the type member in xed position by engagement with elements rotating and directly connected with the type member, a key, and mechanism controlled by actuation of the key to trip the latch and effect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing thereby, said latch stopping the type member after a single rotation irrespective of the position of said key and holding it directly in predetermined position.

22. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member, means for guiding to the type member tickets to be printed, driving means for the typemember, a latch normally `tending to hold the type member in fixed position by engagement with elements rotating and directly connected with the type member, a. plurality of keys, and mechanism controlled by actuation of any of said keys to trip the latch and effect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing thereby, said latch stopping the type member in its said xed position irrespective of the position of a key and holding it directly in predetermined position.

23. In a ticket printing and issuing machine, a rotatable type member, means for guiding to the type member tickets to be printed, driving means for the type member, a latch normally tending to hold the type member in fixed position by en- 10 gagement with elements rotating and directly` connected with the type member, a plurality of keys, and mechanism controlled by actuation of any of said keys to trip the latch and effect rotation of the type member by the driving means and printing thereby, said latch stopping the type member in its said fixed position, and being tripped only upon release of the actuated key followed by further actuation of the same or another key and holding it directly in predetermined position.

24. In a ticket issuing machine, means for feeding and guiding a ticket strip, driving means for said feeding and guiding means, at least one key, a mechanism controlled by actuation of a key to effect feeding of the ticket strip, said mechanism including devices limiting the feeding means to a single cycle of operation upon each actuation of a key, said devices including a latch restraining a spring biased member, a key $0 operated element for moving and thereby tripping the latch, and means disturbing engagement between said element and latch during the operation.

86 CHRIS'IOPHER FREDERICK WEBB. 

